One Helluva Crush 2
by Esa MaRie
Summary: Sequel to One Helluva Crush. Having a crush on Hotaru Imai is hell! Why? Ask Ruka...
1. Chapter 1

**One Helluva Crush 2**

**By: Esa MaRie**

* * *

**Summary:**

Sequel to One Helluva Crush. Having a crush on Hotaru Imai is hell! Why? Ask Ruka...

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"Baka Polkadots! I told you that I'm going to wait for you at the canteen!"

"I thought you said library!"

"What the hell am I going to do in the library?"

"I don't know with you! But I waited for you there!"

"You're an idiot!"

"That's it! I'm really breaking up with you! I hate you Natsume!"

Ruka sighed as he watched the break up of Alice Academy's most famous couple (famous for the number of fights and breakups). He then winced as he saw Natsume kicked the trash can as he close the distance between them. For the 6 months those two became a couple, how many break ups had he heard Mikan threatened Natsume? Ten? Fifteen? Twenty? They're always like that. It seems that they both enjoy getting into each other's nerves. Ruka sighed again. But despite the clash of their personalities, he knew that they both loved each other very much. Opposites attract, eh? At least they're together, unlike him... Damn! The image of a certain dark-haired and violet-eyed girl with a complicated personality came to his mind. A really pretty girl but too independent, too smart, and too cold. He really has a weird taste in girls.

He woke from his trance when he noticed that Natsume is already at his side.

"Hey, Natsume. Are we still going to Central Town?", Ruka asked.

"Yeah. I also need to buy something there.", Natsume grumbled.

"Another breakup with Mikan?", Ruka teased.

"Tch. That baka.", Natsume muttered.

* * *

"Wait here.", Natsume said as he went straight to a flower shop.

"As usual.", Ruka grinned which earned him an annoyed look from Natsume. How many roses will it take Natsume this time to reconcile with his girlfriend? He watched as Natsume paid the saleslady and gave instructions to where to deliver the flowers.

Just then his attention was caught by a girl with short dark hair who seemed to be coming his way. He began to feel warm inside, and his cheeks began to redden_. 'Damn! Damn! Stop blushing!'_ he told himself.

He tried to glance away but came too late. His blue eyes met her violet orbs. Then suddenly he was blinded by a light and the next thing he noticed was that the girl was holding a camera and looking at a photo.

"Hmm... another income for me.", the girl said with her usually emotionless voice.

"Hotaru Imai!", Ruka yelled as he rushed forward to grab the picture_. 'Oh great! This is really becoming a habit.'_

But before he could get to her, she had already summoned her flying swan and flew out of his reach.

Ruka gripped his hair in frustration. _'Of all the girls, why did I have a crush on a cold, emotionless blackmailer?'_ He really wanted to bang his head on a tree.

"Oi."

Ruka looked up and saw Natsume in front of him.

"Trouble with Imai again?", he asked.

"What's new?", Ruka grumbled back.

"Tch. Stupid females.", Natsume muttered.

If Ruka doesn't feel frustrated right now, he might have laughed at their situation. Two male best friends having trouble with two female best friends. What a life!

* * *

Ruka pulled Koko out of the classroom.

"Koko, I need some help..."

"About Hotaru.", Koko grinned. "You want to find out if she likes you, right?"

Ruka blushed. "Well... yeah... Here's the plan. I..."

"You want to talk to her and I'll try to find out what she's thinking while talking with you.", Koko finished for him.

"Could you let me finish?", Ruka muttered, quite annoyed.

"Well, it's easier to read your mind. You seem to have a hard time trying to express it in words.", Koko answered back.

"Okay, okay.", Ruka sighed. "So, will you do it?"

"Hmmm...", Koko thought over. "Hotaru Imai... she's really interesting. Heheh. This would be a challenge."

* * *

Koko sat two seats from Hotaru's and opened a book. If Hotaru finds out that he's reading her mind, he's in deep trouble. He just doesn't know which gadget she'll use against him. That's why he would normally avoid reading Hotaru's mind or just keep quiet about what he read. Besides, he doesn't like reading Hotaru's mind. She's too complicated. He tried once and he almost had a headache. She was thinking of many things all at once. It seemed that during that time her brain was divided into different parts. One was absorbing the teacher's lesson, another contains the diagram of her latest invention, anoother one was computing her revenues from sale of Ruka's pictures (he laughed at that). Therefore trying to find out Hotaru's feeling towards Ruka would be a challenge for him. He grinned. This is exciting.

He saw Ruka approached Hotaru and tried to converse with her. He wanted to slap his hand over his head. _'That idiot. He's too obvious!'_ he thought as he saw Ruka's cheeks turning slight pink.

Koko then begun to concentrate and tried to penetrate into Hotaru's mind. Suddenly, Hotaru turned and looked straight at him.

BAKA! BAKA! BAKA!

Before he could react, he felt the impact of the balls from Hotaru's ever famous baka gun, and threw him off the wall.

"Hotaru, what was that for?!?" he cried, touching the huge bump on his head.

"That's for trying to read my mind," Hotaru said with a blank expression.

"Huh? How can you be sure that I'm reading your mind?" Koko asked.

"Invention number 6834 Mind-reading Detector." she said as she pointed at her barrette. "I made this especially against your alice."

Koko and Ruka sweatdropped.

Hotaru then turned to Ruka, "You were saying Ruka?"

"Ah...uh... ahm... nothing, nothing. Just forget it.", Ruka hastily said as he turned around to go back to his seat_. 'Damn, it failed! Why does she have to be so smart?!'_

* * *

_**Hiya!!! There were some reviewers who requested for a sequel on ONE HELLUVA CRUSH. So, in order not to disappoint you… here you go. But don't expect for a long one. This more of a Ruka x Hotaru pairing, with a little Natsume x Mikan.**_

_**So, what do you think? Please review… :-) **_


	2. Chapter 2

**One Helluva Crush 2**

**By: Esa MaRie**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Hotaru was walking towards her room when all of a sudden Mikan sprang out of nowhere and hugged her.

"Hotaru!!!! I really hate Natsume! I broke up with him!" Mikan cried against her shirt.

Hotaru felt her nerves began to tick, although it's not quite obvious in her expression. How many times had she heard that line? She really has no patience for Mikan's stupid love-life. She has a deadline to meet and she has no time to listen to Mikan's problem with her idiot of a boyfriend. Anyway, a dozen roses and several boxes of howalon is enough for her to forgive Natsume Hyuuga.

Without warning, Mikan found herself flat on the wall after Hotaru knocked her off with her horseshoe gloves.

"Hotaru, you meanie!!!" Mikan cried massaging her temple. "I'm depressed here."

"Mikan Sakura?"

Mikan turned at the voice and saw a man holding a huge bouquet of red roses and six boxes of howalons. "Yes?"

"There's a delivery for you," the man said as he handed to her the package and a card.

Mikan opened the card and saw two words.

_Sorry_

_N_

Her eyes brightened and her usual cheerfulness came back. "I love you Natsume!" she exclaimed as she smelled the roses and began popping the howalons in her mouth. "Hotaru, want some?" she offered.

"A real idiot," Hotaru muttered as walked ahead.

* * *

It was the next morning and Ruka really felt depressed that his plan failed. He glanced at Natsume and noticed that he seems calm. He wondered if he and Mikan already reconciled. His question was answered when Mikan burst into the classroom with a huge smile on her face carrying a box of howalon.

"Ohayo!" she greeted cheerfully, then proceeded to her seat which is just beside Natsume. "Natsume-kun, arigatou for the flowers. You're so sweet," she giggled. "A brought a box so we can share later."

"Whatever, polkadots," Natsume said as he continued to read his manga. But it didn't escape Ruka that a small smile formed on Natsume's lips.

Ruka turned his attention at Hotaru's back. _'Will flowers really do the trick? Will Hotaru like it if she receives flowers?'_ he thought. _'Maybe I could give it a try…'_

* * *

"Yes, young man?"

Ruka shifted his leg uncomfortably as he stared at the huge selection of flowers in Central Town. "Aah… c-can I have a dozen of p-pink r-roses delivered to…" he stammered.

The old lady smiled at him and gave him a piece of paper. "Here, you can just write the name of the girl you like and where you want it delivered."

Ruka blushed furiously as he began writing on the paper.

"Also, you need a card if you want to write a message or something to her," the kind lady added. "Here, this is a special paper that is really a craze with the young ladies right now. It's made out of flower petals. I'm sure your special girl will absolutely love it."

Ruka looked at the card and saw that it's really pretty. He saw that several kinds of flower petals were flattened and used for the paper. _'I hope Hotaru likes it.' _ "Okay, I'll take it."

Then he wrote:

_Dear Hotaru,_

_Hope you love the flowers… _

_Love,_

_Your secret admirer_

He frowned at what he wrote. He's not really good with words so that's all he could come up with. Well, what the hell…

* * *

There's still ten minutes before the class would start and the class was quite noisy with students talking to each other about one topic to another.

"Hotaru-chan," Anna called.

"Hn," Hotaru turned to look at her.

"I really love the product from your new invention," Anna exclaimed as she stared at the scented stationery she's holding. "I wonder how you came up with the idea to use real flower petals."

"Yeah, it's so pretty." Nonoko added. "But don't you think using flower petals is too expensive? I mean do you have to order several flowers for you to catch up with the orders?"

"I don't have to buy flowers," Hotaru said with her usual emotionless tone. "They're always available."

"Eh?"

Suddenly the door opened and a delivery man entered. "Delivery for Hotaru Imai."

Ruka shifted on his seat uncomfortably trying to wait for Hotaru's reaction. He feels kind of excited on how she would react especially when the class would start teasing her. Would she be mad? Would she blush? Would she like the flowers?

He stood up then walked forward. He sat in front of Koko facing him, his back against Hotaru. "Nice strategy Ruka," Koko grinned.

"Shut up Koko. Just pretend that your attention is on me so I can listen to whatever they're saying," Ruka whispered.

"Hotaru-chan, they're gorgeous!"

"Oh, I want someone to send me flowers too!"

"Oh wow Hotaru, someone seems to really like you!" Mikan squealed which earned her a blast from the baka gun.

Ruka blushed at that. He heard Koko snicker so he looked up and glared at him. His female classmates seemed to be enthusiastic about the flowers, but he hasn't heard anything from the recipient herself.

"Hmmm…"

"Is that all you can say Hotaru?" Anna asked.

"Wow, Hotaru is speechless," another classmate commented.

"Nice," came Hotaru's voice.

Unable to bear it, Ruka turned to look. Anyway, it seems that all of their classmates are curious so it wouldn't be suspicious if he acted like one of the spectators. He saw Hotaru looking intently at the flowers that made him wonder at something. _'Is she expecting something with the flowers? Why is it that she seems to be inspecting it?'_

"Hotaru-chan, is there something wrong with the flowers?" Nonoko asked.

"It's perfect," Hotaru said as she stood up.

"Hotaru, where are you going?" Mikan asked.

"I need to bring the flowers back to the lab," she simply replied.

"But couldn't that wait?" Yuu asked.

"I need these fresh. Anyway, Narumi-sensei is absent," Hotaru answered as she took out her remote control and quickly left using her flying swan.

The rest of her classmates were left dumbfounded.

"W-what does s-she mean fresh?" Ruka stammered as he asked.

"She uses flower petals for her new invention," Koko explained.

"Invention?" Ruka asked stupidly.

"Tada!" Mikan plastered on his face a sheet of paper… or should I say… petal paper?

Ruka blinked at the paper in front of him. "T-this…" _'This is the same one that I used to write the note.'_

"It's so cute, isn't it?" one of their female classmates gushed. "It's made of flower petals."

"Hotaru-chan is such a genius."

"Flower petals…" Ruka whispered.

Koko placed his arm around his shoulders and whispered to him. "It means that aside from your pictures, you just gave her another source of income."

"It means the Hotaru-chan invented a machine that can make use of the flowers that all her suitors gave her to earn some money," Nonoko explained. "Pretty good idea, right?"

"Ohhhh……"

"Amazing…"

"That's Hotaru-chan for you."

"Oh, the card was left," one of the girls said as she picked the card. "It says… Dear Hotaru…Hope you like the flowers…love, your secret admirer."

The girls began squealing. _'Like pigs,'_ Natsume thought as he looked up from his manga to his classmates that were gathered in front.

Ruka was blushing deep red. Good thing, Koko's arm was blocking him from other people's view. But the damn Kokoryomi was having the time of his life laughing at his expense.

"Wow, and he used the paper that Hotaru was selling. Tsk tsk. Poor guy. He was just adding extra income to Hotaru-chan."

With a drooped shoulder, Ruka went back to his seat beside Natsume.

"What's wrong with you?" Natsume asked when he heard Ruka's sigh.

"A little depressed over a failed plan," Koko interjected who followed Ruka when he returned to his seat.

"Shut up Koko," Ruka mumbled in irritation, resting his chin over his palm.

Natsume just shrugged and continued reading his manga.

Koko just grinned. "Hey," he whispered quietly to Ruka. "Why don't you ask Natsume for some advice? After all he was able to make Mikan his girlfriend."

Ruka looked at his right and stared at Natsume. _ 'Would he know how?'_

Natsume then turned and his cold crimson orbs met his gaze. "What?"

Ruka sighed. "Nothing." _'Maybe he can help…'_

* * *

**_This is long overdue… but anyway, here's the second chapter. Doesn't seem like a romantic one, eh? Anyway, hope you like it. Please read and review!_**

**_Thanks to _****_natsumeluvr_****_, shielamaria_****_, Natsumesama_****_, Dear Julie_****_, tomboy ninja13, _****_'orange-ideas'_****_natsumexmikan, _****_emrevolemina_****_, SweetMelancholy_****_, SnowMirage, _****_KaTLeYa KaSSaNdRA KaReN LiN_****_, Winter Sapphire, candy0007, _****_flora0moonstone_****_, and I know a wonderful movie for all your reviews:-)  
_**


	3. Chapter 3

**One Helluva Crush 2**

By: Esa MaRie

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"Natsume!"

Natsume turned his head, his crimson eyes slightly narrowed in confusion as he stared at his bestfriend's face. It was not every day you see Ruka Nogi in such a haggard state.

"What?" his usual curt reply came.

Ruka began to fidget as he tried to come up with the right words to say. "A-ano… Natsume-kun, a-ahm… w-well… I… a-ah…"

Natsume grunted as he continued to walk forward.

"Wait!"

"I'll listen when you finally know what you actually wanted to say Ruka," Natsume said to him, his voice devoid of any expression. "The idiot girl is already waiting for me," he added, obviously referring to his girlfriend.

"Wait, I'll say it," Ruka called out, which earned him Natsume's attention. Natsume lifted his brows as he watched Ruka took a deep breath; then opened his mouth…

"Howdidyoumakemikanfallinlovewithyou?"

Natsume just stared at him, as he was unable to comprehend what Ruka had just said. Annoyance began to creep within him, and he felt a tick formed on his forehead. "Ruka…!"

Ruka sweatdropped as he noticed his friend's irritation. "Alright, alright, I'll say it clearly…" Clearing his throat, he mouthed the words slowly…

"H-how did you make M-mikan f-fall in l-love with you?"

Natsume blinked in surprise, trying to comprehend that his bestfriend was actually asking his advice… on love?

"Are you trying to humor me?" Natsume asked in an annoyed tone.

"No, no! I'm serious!" Ruka defended. "Koko said that you might know how to help me."

"That bastard, involving me in something like this!" Natsume gritted out. "Who's the girl?"

"W-well, it's… ahm…"

Suddenly, Natsume's eyes widened in realization. If there was a girl who can talk freely with Ruka, well not really freely… (more for the purpose of blackmailing), it was no other than Hotaru Imai!

"Don't tell me it's Imai?" Natsume lifted his brows as he made his guess.

Ruka's cheeks immediately reddened and he began to fidget again. "W-well…"

A long silence followed, then a choked sound was suddenly heard which caused Ruka to lift his head just in time to see Natsume cover his mouth and turned his head away, but not before Ruka caught his expression.

"Natsume, stop laughing!" Ruka's face couldn't have been more crimson as he yelled at his bestfriend.

Natsume cleared his throat before facing back his friend, his expression back to his usual blank and cold look. "I don't know if you're plain stupid or just insane. Of all the girls… why Imai?"

"That's why I wanted to ask your help!" Ruka persisted.

"Ask my help? On what?" Natsume asked, more confused than ever.

"Mikan hates you a lot but you were able to make her fall in love with you. So I just want to know how you did it," Ruka explained

"What I did?" Natsume wondered, keeping silent for the moment as he tried to recall what happened months ago. "I just kissed her."

Ruka's month dropped open. "EHH???!!"

Natsume just shrugged. "Yeah, I kissed her. That's it."

"T-that's it?" Ruka repeated stupidly.

"Yeah," came the curt affirmation from Natsume.

"THAT'S IT?!" Ruka yelled in disbelief, standing there rooted on the ground. "K-kiss Hotaru? B-but t-that's just the same as committing suicide!"

"Well, you should have thought about that before falling in love with her," Natsume snorted in reply, obviously amused at his bestfriend's predicament.

"Natsume!"

They both turned and saw Mikan waving at her boyfriend.

"Polkadot's here," Natsume remarked. He then tapped Ruka's shoulder and whispered, "Well, goodluck with kissing Imai. Though I'm not sure you'll make it alive if you pursue that plan… unless she likes you back."

He gave him a reassuring smile, which is so unlike his usual image, then walked towards his girlfriend. Mikan was smiling cheerfully at him but that smile suddenly turned into a frown when Natsume leaned forward and whispered something into her ear.

But considering the crazy type of relationship they had, it was no surprise for anyone within the perimeter to hear Mikan's sudden outburst. "Natsume hentai!"

* * *

Ruka settled himself under a huge tree while his animal friends surrounded him. Normally, he would consider this as his haven, but his problem with Hotaru continued to bother him. His pet rabbit continued to rub his nose against his cheek as if trying to comfort him while the other animals snuggled beside him, but he just continued to sigh as he pondered on his next move. 

A slight sound of a twig breaking caused the animals to look up and scampered away as a shadow befell on the disturbed boy.

"So, the next plan is to kiss Imai, huh?"

Ruka jumped in surprise and saw Koko grinning knowingly at him. Annoyance crept on Ruka's face as he stared back at the nosy mind-reader.

"Really Koko. Do you really have to get involve with everyone's business?" Ruka asked, slight irritation evident in his tone.

"Well, I can't help it," Koko responded with a cheeky grin. "I was gifted with an alice that makes me snoop into everyone's business whether I like it or not. Besides, it's my way of being of help to anyone."

Ruka's brows rose at that statement. _'Really? If I didn't know better, you're just enjoying this,'_ he thought.

"Well, that's an added bonus," Koko replied with a laugh, reading into Ruka's mind again.

Ruka sighed. It was impossible to keep anything from Koko anyway. He was not like Natsume who could threaten Koko whenever he tried to involve himself into his problems.

"Okay, so what do you have in mind?" Ruka asked him.

"Simple. First, don't kiss Imai," Koko said. "Else, you'll never get to see the next sunshine."

"I know that," Ruka sighed at him. That was quite obvious. Even Natsume had warned him about it.

"Second, Imai plays dirty," Koko raised his brow at him. "You know very well what I mean."

"No, I don't," Ruka turned him a confused look.

A huge smile crossed Koko's face. "Imai likes to blackmail you, right? So, why not return the favor?"

"Blackmail her to what?" Ruka asked, still not getting into the whole plan.

"Blackmail her to become your girlfriend," Koko grinned evilly.

* * *

**_Sorry everyone for the very, very late update. And it's short too… hehe… Anywayz, I still hope you like this chapter… please read & review…_**

**_Thanks to everyone who reviewed…_**

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**_Advanced Merry Christmas everyone:-) _**


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